Decker jabs at Steele during State of Judiciary

A quote from Judge Russell Steele was clarified to reflect context regarding his comments directly following the allegations made by Circuit Court Clerk Linda Decker.

What had typically been a routine presentation of the state of affairs of all things judicial in Adair County became an airing of complaints over the operations of the region's Circuit Court with the circuit court clerk accusing the presiding judge of creating a "poisonous" atmosphere in particular due to the lack of open communication.

The annual State of the Judiciary opened Friday morning with Circuit Clerk Linda Decker leveling charges at Circuit Judge Russell Steele over a lack of transparency and willingness to communicate and work through what were presented as inter-office issues including implementation of a clerk assistance program with neighboring Lewis County.

"Nothing in my upbringing or adult life could have prepared me for some of the difficulties I have experienced working with Judge Steele these past few years and in particular this last year," Decker told a group of about 20 gathered for the address at the Adair County Annex.

Decker mentioned an alleged discrepancy in reported funds for the circuit's Law Library Fund totaling about $2,000 but focused on her struggles regarding the implementation of a circuit clerk transfer program between Adair, Knox and Lewis counties.

"It is definitely a taboo subject to try and talk about our problems with his office or secretary," she said.

Decker was referring to the implementation of assistance offered to neighboring and understaffed Lewis County through both Adair and Knox counties with each respective court sending a clerk to assist for a day on alternating weeks.

Steele, who responded with short comments following Decker, referred to the issues as "private and internal."

"This is a little out of order and not part of my presentation," he said before responding to Decker's allegations ahead of presentations from Associate Circuit Court Judge Kristie Swaim and Court Services Administrator Matt Holt.

The issue over clerk assistance, Decker alleged, surfaced while Steele was on vacation in early 2013 and upon his return he ordered an end to the plan she put into place until he met with the circuit clerks in early February.

"This issue has never been about our opposition to giving Lewis County help, but was the information contained in the order and the way [Steele] handled it that has been difficult and unnecessary," she said.

Steele, in an administrative transfer order, called for Holt to review the procedures that govern the circuit clerk assistance but Decker alleged when she posted the order in her office that Steele had it removed and confronted her.

"[There was] no discussion with him [over the clerk assistance]," Decker said. "Only with Matt Holt. I can tell you after two months of this turmoil and confusion, trying to work and live with this order, we are back at our starting point."

Decker said the office has regularly been forced to tell attorneys or members of the public calling Adair County to contact a particular clerk that they were in Lewis County for the day.

Steele, in his responding remarks, said he was pursuing a systematic approach to providing clerking assistance especially in light of a hiring freeze as ordered by the Missouri State Supreme Court.

"There is a gross discrepancy between the staffing of Adair, Knox and Lewis counties," he said. "With the hiring freeze, Lewis County can't hire anyone else and with Knox and Adair having extra staff, we give our sister county some help."

Decker also highlighted a recent audit by the Office of the State Courts Administrator that made some recommendations regarding the separation of duties but did not include any provisions for extra staff or time. Decker alleged that Steele directed to her that he alone would be responsible for issuing the official response to the audit report despite her two decades of having prepared her office's audit information.

"What do you think is going on," she asked. "Maybe Judge Steele will answer your questions because he will not answer mine."

Following the presentation, Decker said she felt the need to air her grievances in a public venue due to a "feeling of total lack of communication between Steele" and herself.

"I wanted to make people aware of these issues," she said.

Steele said afterward that he and his office were working evaluate their procedures and processes and professionalism.

"We will evaluate changes and implement those changes circuit-wide," he said. "It is my responsibility to make sure things are taken care of."